


untitled 5

by shmrshmr (bethfekete)



Series: WIP and inspiration lost [6]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-10
Updated: 2014-05-11
Packaged: 2018-01-15 07:38:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1296799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bethfekete/pseuds/shmrshmr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>merlin gets speeches. morgana isn't a baddy. arthur is a prat but a kind and noble one. uther is an ass but he tries. leon is awesome.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

When Merlin woke up he thought it was just another feast day in Camelot. He had no idea that it would be the last normal day of his non too normal life.  
He did his usual chores. He ran his usual errands. He dressed Prince Arthur. He avoided Morgana and picked flowers with Gwen. Arthur called him a girl and threw things at him.  
Cook trapped him in the kitchens and wouldn't let him leave until he had helped the maids prepare the ovens. All in all a normal feast day.

Following Arthur to the great hall for the feast, Merlin started to get one of his feelings.

"Arthur? Can you be careful tonight?"

"Another feeling Merlin?"

"Yes Sire. Another one of my feelings."

"You feel too much, Merlin. Everything will be fine. Just you wait and see. What could possibly go wrong?"

Merlin groaned. "I really wish you hadn't said that."

A few hours later the feast was in full swing. The speeches were over and wine was flowing freely. And then Merlin's feelings happened.

A group of six visiting nobles stood as one and started toward the dais where the king, his son, and ward were sitting. The hall quieted, not an ominous quiet, no a curious quiet. The kind of hush that falls over a large boisterous crowd when there is a speech coming. Some of the guests were rolling their eyes at the amount of attention these six needed. They thought, really? Another speech? Can't they just enjoy the amount of time they already took from the festivities and leave us in peace?  
Merlin moved closer to Arthur just in case. 

The group stopped and the first man spoke, "Uther Pendragon, we have come in the name of justice. Our families and friends have been killed by your blind hate. You have ordered the deaths of innocents and now we demand your life in return."

All six began chanting. Uther tried to call for his guards but he had no voice. Sir Leon tried to rise and stop them but he was stuck in place. Everyone in the hall was struck silent and still by the spell being cast. Merlin thought Arthur should have kept his damn mouth shut. He sighed. This was it. This was the time to act. This was when his secret would be revealed. It felt anti-climactic.

He calmly walked to stand between the group and the dais. Arthur's thoughts were a mix of screaming for the idiot to run and sighing because he knew what Merlin was about to do and he knew there was no way to stop it.

Merlin cleared his throat and when he spoke it was almost bored, "Excuse me? While I am still breathing no harm will come to the Pendragons or Camelot. You will stop or I will stop you." 

The chanting stopped and the leader sneered and spoke again, "Who do you think you are boy? I'll kill you where you stand!"

He threw a curse and Merlin waved it away like it was no more than an annoying fly.  
Merlin smiled the same cheeky smile that got things thrown at his head.  
"The Druids call me Emrys. Now. I believe I said you will stop or I will stop you. Which will it be?"

The leader paled and the group took a step back.

Merlin grinned and put his hands behind his back. "Good! So. If you'll release everyone and go quietly with the guards to the dungeons it would be much appreciated." 

Merlin turned toward the dais and knelt with his head bowed as the guards rushed forward to arrest the group. Another two guards stood next to Merlin unsure whether they should be arresting him as well. They hadn't seen any sign of sorcery from the boy but he had amitted to being one. They didn't know if it was a truth or a well used bluff. Why would a sorcerer be protecting the king? 

Now the silence was ominous as the crowd waited to hear whether the king would declare the prince's manservant a sorcerer or a skilled liar.

Uther stood. "So, Sorcerer. You've earned my debt. What do you want?"

Merlin shook his head sadly and looked up. "I want so many things Your Highness. So many many things."

The king slammed his fist angainst the table and Arthur cringed. "I knew it! What do you want? My kingdom? My life? My son?"

Sir Leon thought there a little too much of his King's priorities were shown in the order of his words.

Again Merlin shook his head. When he spoke again he sounded so sad. " No, Sire. I want your son to live such a long and fulfilling life that he greets Death as an old friend and is patted on the back for a job well done. I want Camelot to never know hunger or the grief of a sudden loss. I want all of Albion to have peace. I'm so very tired of funerals. I'm tired of mourning. I'm tired of war and greed.  
"I want to be able to use my powers as a sheild instead of a sword. I want to teach other magic users how to heal and grow crops.  
"I want the children of the Druid tribes to be as sure as the children of farmers that they will live long enough to have children of their own.  
"I want you Uther Pendragon to know peace. I want you to stop grieving. I want you to find happiness. One sorceress wronged you, in your eyes, and you and turned you down a terrible path. I wish you could forgive and forget but I know you cannot. I want you to be able to embrace the life that came from your loss instead of inflicting your suffering on other families.  
"I want all of that and so much more. Can you give me any of that, Sire?"

Uther sat speechless. Many ladies present had tears in their eyes and on their cheeks. Arthur stood proud and grinning. That was the most passionate and self-less request of a kings debt that the young prince had ever heard.  
Morgana had tears in her eyes and an ache in her heart. She wanted all of those things too but fear of Uther had pushed her into Morgause's twisted arms. She stood and rushed to fall in front of Merlin. She grasped his hands with a half whispered sob of thanks.  
The crowd and even Uther seemed to hold their breath as the warlock lifted his hands. Was he going to hurt her? Would he curse her? After that plea would he dare?  
Arthur could see what people were thinking and he rolled his eyes. This was Merlin!  
Merlin pulled her to his chest, if I'm going to be executed, he thought, may as well do this right. He smoothed her hair and made soothing noises as she cried. Those closest could hear him murmuring "It's ok. Everything will be ok now. There's always another way. You don't have to be scared anymore. I'm here now." 

Uther regained his voice and in the quiet it seemed too loud, too harsh during the touching scene between Lady and servant. "Guards! Remove the Lady Morgana from the prisoner and take him to the dungeon to await trial!"

A collective gasp went through the crowd. A trial?! But that could only mean-! 


	2. Chapter 2

Merlin didn't resist arrest. He followed the guards calmly out of the hall and to the dungeons. He greeted the guards on duty like the frequent visitor he was and started a card game.  
Upstairs Uther paced. In his fury over a sorcerer in the royal household he seemed to forget that he had an audience.  
He raged at Arthur for not noticing sooner. He screamed at Morgana for going near Merlin after he had admitted sorcery. He laughed at the silly request of a condemned man. As if a sorcerer could ever be that selfless. Magic was evil.  
Both Arthur and Morgana stood ready to defend their friend but to everyone's surprise it was Sir Leon that stepped forward.  
"Sire, if I may speak freely?"  
Uther waved his hand in agreement.  
"Surely if Mer- the sorcerer wanted to harm you or the kingdom he could have just stood aside and let the others do what they were going to do. We all know the boy is an idiot, perhaps he thought to dabble in magic in a misguided attempt to help."  
Arthur caught Morgana's eye as she opened her mouth to disagree. He shook his head and pleaded with his eyes to just go with it. Times like this he really wished he had the ability to do the mind speak thing like the druids.

Uther stroked his chin in thought. Could the boy have been so stupid? Could he have thought that learning sorcery would do any good? He would have to speak to the servant.


End file.
